Value education?

From an article printed at CNNOpinion, "Why I'm Raising My Son to be a Nerd"
"We also don't believe in the value of education, culturally -- we just like to say we do because as citizens of an industrialized nation, we're supposed to. But we can tell our children that school is important until we're blue in the face, they're not stupid.
They see the loudest applause is for the kids on the field. They know teachers are paid poorly and don't drive fancy cars. They know people plan Super Bowl parties but mock the National Spelling Bee.
In other words, they see the hypocrisy, and we can't expect society to correct itself.
If we want to have any lasting influence on the way our kids approach education -- the way future generations approach education -- then we have to grab our pom-poms and paint our faces and celebrate intellectual curiosity with the same vigor we do their athletic achievements."

Hmmmm.... What do you think?

Summer Flying

I can't believe that this summer is flying by so very quickly.  Class lists should be posted by the end of this week.  When that happens, school is just around the corner.


I had a parent tell me today that she requested having me for her child's teacher.  How are you suppose to react to that statement?  It makes me a little uncomfotable and the situation a little awkward.


This particular person has had other children that have gone through 4th grade already and I did not teach them so .....

Bottom line is - I teach who I am given and try to do the best that I can.  I do get attached to the darlings each year!  I have been thinking about the new school year approaching.  I think I am going to center my theme around frogs again.


What should it be... Leap into learning, Let's have a hopping good year, Look who's in my pad, Leap into 4th grade, I'm Hoppy You're Here, etc.  What is your favorite?

Life

All of life is a journey; which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there. From A Little Book of Happiness


"Think about your particular assignment at this time in your life. It may be to get an education, it may be to rear children, it may be to be a grandparent, it may be to care for and relieve the suffering of someone you love, it may be to do a job in the most excellent way possible, it may be to support someone who has a difficult assignment of their own. Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm. Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul. To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling."
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley (Small and Simple Things)

Life Goes On!

How High

We never know
how high we are
Till we are asked to rise;
And then, if we are
true to plan,
Our statures
touch the skies.
- Emily Dickinson

Attitude

 “Attitude is the mind’s paintbrush. It can color a situation gloomy and gray, or cheerful and gay. In fact, attitudes are more important than facts.”


Mary C. Crowley (Founder of Home Interior and Gifts)

River Whispers

I just finished "River Whispers" by Kathi Oram Peterson.  I liked it.

Here is a synopsis of the book, "Regi Bernard’s small hometown on the Snake River is good for some things (like fishing) but bad for others (like avoiding old flames). On one unlucky day, Regi runs in to the two men she least wants to see: Samuel Tanner, her first love, whose sudden rejection still stings decades later; and Ranger Curtis Romney, the man who trampled her daughter’s heart and reputation. But the next day, Regi’s luck is even worse. While trespassing on Samuel’s land to fish, she discovers a dead body in the willows. And when Regi reports the murder, she becomes the prime suspect.

Of course Regi knows she’s innocent. What she doesn’t know is why the murder leads keep pointing to her, and she’s not going to sit around waiting while others find out. Unraveling a murder case in a small town where everyone and everything is interconnected is a tangled task at best. As Regi takes matters into her own hands, she finds the evidence points to multiple townspeople as the possible killer, including Regi’s own sister. With so many possibilities, Regi can’t get the job done without getting close to one particular suspect — Samuel, the man she’d hoped to avoid forever. The two of them will need more than luck if they’re going to clear their names and their past. And as Regi races to discover the truth about the murder, she may very well face her own."

Youtube video about the book:

You Are Not Alone

You are not alone. It is a simple message of comfort, but it is heavy with importance.  God has eagerly heralded in His word since he formed our flesh and breathed life into our lungs.  When you feel burdened by life's heaviest decisions and your knees begin to budkle under the weight, He says, "Come to Me." Move into His open arms as He wraps them around you gently and pulls you close.  His smile says it all. You are never alone. -From Hugs from Heaven: On Angel Wings

Thought to Live Life By

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." 
— Maya Angelou

Vengeance

I just finished this book by Clair Poulson.  I have to admit that the beginning started a little slow for me.  It took me awhile to really get into the book. I did enjoy the book in the end!  

Description of book: "A decade ago, eight-year-old Aubree Lansing peeked from her hiding place in the closet and saw the unthinkable: a dead body on her bedroom floor and a man standing close by with a gun in his bloodstained hands. A man she called daddy.

Aubree's courageous testimony during the murder trial led to a hefty prison sentence for Stone Lansing-and placed a heavy weight on his daughter's heart. When Aubree's mother married Reginald Kern, one of Stone's former defense attorneys, and the new family welcomed the birth of twins, it seemed that Aubree had left her tragic past behind. But at age eighteen, her nightmare suddenly resumes: Stone Lansing is out of prison, and he's looking for the daughter whose words sent him there. In the wake of a death threat, Aubree flees with her twin half-siblings aboard the cruise ship Stargazer and finds protection in the care of its young sea captain. But there's more than one menace closing in on Aubree, as the cold tide of vengeance threatens to drag her under."

Fixed!

A couple of weeks ago, the part that pulls up the plug in the toilet (the tank flap) came unhooked in my master bathroom.  Usually, in my limited knowledge, this is a chain and can just be rehooked.  On this toilet it was a plastic piece and there was no way to reconnect it.  You could still flush it by reaching in and lifting the flap up, but that was inconvenient.


Well, today the same thing happened to the toilet in the main bathroom of the house.  Beth told me that she thought she could replace the mechanism to fix this.  I called her and she came over and looked and then we went to the store and found what was needed.  Amazingly, it was just a cheap part - about $4.00 for each toilet.  Beth was able to replace it and they both work again!!!!  Yea!
I hate that I don't know how to do so many things and that I feel so helpless.  I am so happy that it wasn't a huge undertaking and that they are both fixed!

Common Core Academy 2011

Last week was Language Arts Common Core Academy. It was held in Vernal this year. This year was focused almost exclusively on Writing. 

I know that I personally need to do more writing in my classroom.... especially specific skills.


The following are some ideas that I snapped a photo of so that I would remember what they looked like:

This is a poster that the students in a 4th grade class made to have in their classroom about the 6 Traits of Writing.  I like the idea and think I will have my students make one this year!

Here is another poster that I liked showing the students what good "authors" would do!

Just another example of a "book" that could be written and published!  This one is on wetlands.

This a haiku that was put together using a toilet paper roll!

They called this one an "I Spy" book because of the cutouts  all the way through ....

 

This book was shaped like a mountain man and the students wrote mountain man information on him.

The new Common Core contains several sections and is quite different, but they focused on writing because it seems to be a weak area across the state on all levels.

There are so many other changes that need to be made, but I will have to start implementing a little at a time.  I am excited to try to make changes in the writing portion of my classroom.

I think ultimately more of the reading will need to be with content area books, etc.  rather than with a basal and a formal "reading" time.

Gloomy Cloud

I feel like there is a gloomy cloud hanging over my head and I am having a hard time shaking it off and snapping out of it.

Here is some advice I found surfing the net.

Keep yourself busy, do things you love. Read, swim, do some art. Keep your mind off of the "black cloud". When everything bad is raining down on you, make yourself a life jacket (hope) to float back up. Don't let it make you weak.

You need to blow that cloud away. Start thinking positive things.

You make of your environment what you want.

Do something kind for someone.

Get out and do something to get you busy.

Often it's because people don't find/make time to occupy their minds.

Is your mood better when it's sunny? I bet it is. Create your own sun. Find something you really like and think hard about that.

Get out there and go get 'em. The cloud will blow away.

Car report

The other day when I took the car in to be checked, here is what I found out:
The tire did need to be repaired, they ordered and since have replaced the knob.  They said that my battery tested good and that the other problems indicated a problem with the sensor behind the instrument cluster.  It has to be sent away to be fixed due to federal regulations, there are only a couple of places that are authorized to do those repairs.  It is not a safety issue, so at least now I will live with it.

If I Should Die

The book I just finised.  It kept me guessing.

Jennie Hansen's book, If I Should Die" synopsis:  One morning on a routine jog, Kallene's running partner, Linda, confides that she's filing for divorce.  The next morning, she's gone without a trace, leaving behind her frightened young daughter.  Since Linda's enraged husband refuses to notify the police, Kallene steps in to initiate a missing person search, not knowing it would soon become a murder investigation -- or that she'd soon fall for the charming lead detective.  With Linda's handsome brother also on her mind, Kallene must navigate the rapids of a double romance as well as the deepening suspicion in her upscale Utah neighborhood.  Intrigue turns to danger as Kallene faces the consequences of hasty judgments.  And when startling new evidence casts Linda's murder as the work of a determined killer, Kallene needs the intervention of unlikely heroes to avoid being the next victim.

Dearly Departed

About a year ago, I read another book by Tristi Pinkston, "secret Sisters."  This book, "Dearly Departed," is a sequel. This is Beth's book and she wanted me to read it.  I just finished the book and thought that it was cute.


"Ida Mae Babbit has done her community service and is a reformed woman - no more law-breaking for her. But when Arlette's granddaughter Eden discovers a mystery in a fancy nursing home, Ida Mae - with the perfect excuse of a broken wrist and a broken ankle - checks herself into the place. After all, it is for the greater good. Soon she's buzzing around in her motorized wheelchair, questioning the residents and swiping files from the office. She's bound and determined to get to the bottom of this case. But can she solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim?"

I've learned...

I've learned...that just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.
I've learned...that having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
I've learned...that being kind is more important than being right.
I've learned...that you should never say no to a gift from a child.
I've learned...that I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.
I've learned...that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
I've learned...that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
I've learned...that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
I've learned...that we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
I've learned...that it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
I've learned...that under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
I've learned...that the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?
I've learned...that when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
I've learned...that love, not time, heals all wounds.
I've learned...that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I've learned...that life is tough, but I'm tougher.
I've learned...that opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.
I've learned...that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
I've learned...that I wish I could have told my parents that I love them one more time before they each  passed away.
I've learned...that one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I've learned...that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
I've learned...that I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.
I've learned...that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
I've learned...that it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.
I've learned...that the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

By Andy Rooney

Take up the battle

" Take up the battle. Take it up. It's yours. This is your life. This is your world. I will be leaving it long before you under the ordinary set of circumstances. You make your own choices. You can decide life isn't worth living and that would be the worse thing you can do. How do you know? So fall. Try it. See. So pick it up. Pick up the battle and make it a better world. Just where you are. Yes. And it can be better. And it must be better. But it is up to us."- Maya Angelou



Wonderful thoughts that we all should remember and embed in our own lives!

More yard shots

Yard pretties

Part of my Mother's Day gifts from the Gardner girls....

I had to weed before I could place them.

Car troubles again

My car has been acting wierd lately. The dashboard warning lights come up at start up and then stay on at times ....  Fuel cap, brake and ABS lights are the lights that don't go off.  Restarting the car usually clears the issue.  


The electronic odometer can display various messages and can be set to show fuel mileage, trip mileage and etc. Almost every time the car is started, the display will show "xxx miles to empty". I can turn this function off, but it will almost always reappear next time the car is started. When the lights stay on, the mpg info, etc. clear themselves back to zero.  

Other times the tachometer also sticks (bounces at 0 RPM) at start-up.


My tires need to be checked, too.  They don't seem to be holding air properly.  My temperature knob needs to be replaced, too.


I have an appointment Monday to have the car checked over.  I sure hope that it isn't anything serious and expensive!

My Want

I surely do think that I want an ipad!

Do I use my extra pay for all the extra computer work that I did this year to get one later this summer?

The more sensible thing to do is to pay down bills......


The EMED grant had some money left over this year so they are paying our way to Rural School Conference again this year.  One evening they are throwing a party to celebrate that we are finished. They are raffling off five ipads.  Wouldn't that be the coolest thing ever to win?  
A girl can dream ........